122 books
—
29 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used” as Want to Read:
Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used
by
The second edition of the "consultant's bible" is here!
For over fifteen years, consultants--both internal and external--have relied on Peter Block's landmark bestseller, Flawless Consulting, to learn how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. Using illustrative examples, case studies, and exercises, the author, one of the most important and well known in his ...more
For over fifteen years, consultants--both internal and external--have relied on Peter Block's landmark bestseller, Flawless Consulting, to learn how to deal effectively with clients, peers, and others. Using illustrative examples, case studies, and exercises, the author, one of the most important and well known in his ...more
Hardcover, Second Edition, 400 pages
Published
September 29th 1999
by Pfeiffer
(first published January 14th 1987)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Flawless Consulting,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Flawless Consulting
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Since Goodreads lost my old review while trying to upload it, I'll give you this. I think Block focuses a lot more on being blameless as a consultant than on being effective. I agree in principle with lots of what he says, but the overarching idea was the downfall of this book in my eyes. I can't stand the kind of advice that admonishes well-paid experts to constantly deny their responsibility for the outcomes of projects and to distribute the blame for their projects by coercing everyone in the
...more
A number of years ago, I found myself without a job for the first time in my adult life. At 40, this was scary until I woke up one morning, created a subchapter-S corporation and became a consultant. This book, along with others by Peter Block, was a significant help in getting started and having the confidence to persevere for two years independently. Now I'm a consultant in a big four firm and the things I learned from this book still ring true.
This is an amazingly comprehensive "manual" to consulting. It covers techniques in detail while also discussing mindset and sharing recommendations.
The author's focus is on the process of consulting. The title is derived from this process view: If you followed the process, then you consulted flawlessly, regardless of the outcome. Therein lies a seed of humility: As consultants, we learn, advise, recommend, and encourage action - we do not have the power to guarantee outcomes.
For all the wisdom i ...more
The author's focus is on the process of consulting. The title is derived from this process view: If you followed the process, then you consulted flawlessly, regardless of the outcome. Therein lies a seed of humility: As consultants, we learn, advise, recommend, and encourage action - we do not have the power to guarantee outcomes.
For all the wisdom i ...more
Read it for work. Decent, relevant to the work we are doing, but not life changing.
Tokia nuobodi, kad net nebaigiau skaityti :/
I picked up a public policy capstone class to teach this semester and this book was suggested for the students, who are doing consulting projects for government entities (cities, counties, state agencies, etc.). It's fine book, has good basic material and a website for checklists. My primary concern is it is way too expensive (over $60 for a hardcover) for pretty basic information. There isn't anything here you couldn't find elsewhere online.
I have to admit that I really liked Peter Block's "Flawless Consulting". This book was originally written in 1978, and then revised in 1998. I expected the book to be dated and irrelevant, but it wasn't. The concepts that Block wrote about many years ago are still very much applicable today.
Having been a consultant for 6 years, I especially liked this book because it focuses on the style of consulting I like (or rather liked!) to do -- improving the capability of the client to find and implemen ...more
Having been a consultant for 6 years, I especially liked this book because it focuses on the style of consulting I like (or rather liked!) to do -- improving the capability of the client to find and implemen ...more
So far so good, and I think this book is written for professionals who already have competencies for working with people in consulting. I also think if you want to read this book keep in mind this book has a companion book too! The Flawless Consulting Fieldbook & Companion A Guide To Understanding Your Expertise. Peter Block, who has focused attention on consulting skills, empowerment processes, and reclaiming our individuality.
As these books will guide a professional to know all the stages ...more
As these books will guide a professional to know all the stages ...more
TLDR
I wish I could give this book five stars--is has that much good content. But it's so formal in style that it reads like a textbook. It's a really, really good textbook, though. If you're someone who helps other people solve problems, whether a traditional consultant or a coach, a teacher or even a leader, then this book has rich insights for you. Be patient and read slowly. Each paragraph has as much content as some chapters do in other books. It will be worth it.
Tremendous foundation of experience, but oddly longwinded and rather boring to read cover to cover. Probably much better to have listened to a lecture series by the author. True value probably first to appear when used as point of reference
If you're already an experienced consultant I'm not sure how useful it would be, but it is a great overview/introduction to the field (and free of "execuspeak").
From the dust jacket: "Flawless Consulting affirms the notion that authentic behavior and personal relationships are the key to technical and business success." That's really the book in a nutshell. Not that that isn't a valuable insight. But you can save yourself a bunch of time by not reading the book, because the book mainly restates that premise over and over again using every combination of words the author could think of to say basically same thing.
The author makes the case that people ar ...more
The author makes the case that people ar ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is chalk full of great advice and approaches for any interaction where you have a body of work to produce for a client. I'll just share a few of my favorite sentiments:
"Seek for 'Power with' instead of 'Power over.'"
"If you cannot say 'no,' yes has little meaning."
"Manager reassurances do not help because it is a manages job to issue them."
When we come together with a group we put a lot of preparation into presentation but participation is an afterthought. This should be the reverse and par ...more
"Seek for 'Power with' instead of 'Power over.'"
"If you cannot say 'no,' yes has little meaning."
"Manager reassurances do not help because it is a manages job to issue them."
When we come together with a group we put a lot of preparation into presentation but participation is an afterthought. This should be the reverse and par ...more
Practical to a T, if you can get around the really bizarre reading style, this is a great first foray into contracting and independent consulting. Covers a lot of important topics like how to size a project and discuss contract deliverables, how to gather information when embedded in client space, and how to direct conversation productively and hear the "indirect messages" made by what is not often said.
Sort of like a guide to being shrewd in corporations. This would be helpful for people both i ...more
Sort of like a guide to being shrewd in corporations. This would be helpful for people both i ...more
As an organizational consultant, this book was enormously valuable to me and reflects quite a bit of what I see to be true in my work. Consulting is really the 'how' of my work, while organizational diagnosis is the 'what.' Diving into the process of partnering with clients to surface and reflect back challenges and opportunities is fascinating (yes, I am a nerd -- but anything that helps you take more of an objective look at your day to day can be!). Block also makes it approachable, if a bit r
...more
O conteúdo é valiosíssimo e foi resumido muito bem no apêndice (que pode servir como um guia de campo).
A leitura é densa e tive a sensação de que a tradução para o português não contribuiu para a fluidez do texto.
Recomendo para quem está iniciando em consultoria e para todos os que precisam promover mudanças em seus contextos atuais.
A leitura é densa e tive a sensação de que a tradução para o português não contribuiu para a fluidez do texto.
Recomendo para quem está iniciando em consultoria e para todos os que precisam promover mudanças em seus contextos atuais.
A dry read for me
This book I found a little dry. It was hard for me to stick with it. But like every book there was value. Insights I had not thought of and refection on my one exprrence and ways to do things differently.
This book I found a little dry. It was hard for me to stick with it. But like every book there was value. Insights I had not thought of and refection on my one exprrence and ways to do things differently.
Great overall guide.
I really enjoyed this book. The practical aspects of it were very helpful in what I can do going forward.
Yum.
Pretty decent book on being a good consultant.
Great for beginners, it really needs an update. Organizations have changed since this was written.
Super useful book on how to change the conversation in your work environment.
Who should've thought that consulting is basically family therapy?
The textbook for my management consulting course. Not bad, but I'm sure glad I was an English major for undergrad.
This book is as much about cultivating healthy, authentic, reciprocal adult relationships as it is about consulting. There’s a lot of down to earth wisdom here.
A general consulting book. This book has sections about industries such as management, technology, health care, and education. Because numerous industries are covered, the methods are more generalized than may be wanted for specific scenarios. For example, technology consulting requires some fairly fine tuned methodologies that stem from computer science disciplines and technological implementations. With that being said, learning how consulting in different disciplines and industries compare is
...more
Basic Human Relations
As a contractor/consultant on my second long-term assignment, this title caught my eye and served for listening on the commute.
Overall I was impressed. Much of what is presented is common sense and deals with the simple themes of professional and personal integtity.
To put it simply, it focuses upon those things you can control as a consultant and provides a basis upon which to minimize the things you cannot control.
Success can only ultimately be measured by the things you co ...more
As a contractor/consultant on my second long-term assignment, this title caught my eye and served for listening on the commute.
Overall I was impressed. Much of what is presented is common sense and deals with the simple themes of professional and personal integtity.
To put it simply, it focuses upon those things you can control as a consultant and provides a basis upon which to minimize the things you cannot control.
Success can only ultimately be measured by the things you co ...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase one: | 1 | 1 | Oct 11, 2015 08:58AM |
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“each technique carries a consistent message more important than any method: that each act that expresses trust in ourselves and belief in the validity of our own experience is always the right path to follow. Each act that is manipulative or filled with pretense is always self-destructive.”
—
2 likes
“If you don’t believe this, think what would happen if a teacher gave all A’s. The teacher would have a problem.”
—
0 likes
More quotes…
